Mechthild of Hackeborn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintMechtilde OSB |
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Mechtilde of Hackeborn
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| Born | c.1241 Helfta |
| Died | 19 November 1298 Helfta |
| Venerated in | |
| Feast | 19 November |
| Attributes | Scales and a sword, heart, book and dove |
| Patronage | Against blindness |
Mechtilde of Hackeborn (born around 1240 or 1241 – died November 19, 1298) was a Christian saint from what is now Germany. She was a Benedictine nun, which means she lived in a religious community. Mechtilde was known for her amazing musical talents and beautiful singing voice. She spent most of her life at the convent of Helfta, near Eisleben.
Contents
Birth and Early Life
Mechtilde was born as Matilda von Hackeborn-Wippra. Her family was very important and powerful in the region of Thuringia. Her older sister, Gertrude of Hackeborn, was also a famous abbess (the head of a convent).
When Mechtilde was born, she was very tiny and seemed weak. People worried she might not live long enough to be baptized. So, they quickly took her to a priest who was about to say Mass. The priest was known for being very holy. After baptizing her, he reportedly said that Mechtilde would not die young. He believed she would become a saintly nun and do many wonderful things for God.
When Mechtilde was seven years old, she visited her sister Gertrude at a monastery. She loved it so much that she asked her parents if she could stay and become a nun. Her parents agreed, and she began her education there. She was very smart and learned quickly.
About ten years later, in 1258, her sister Gertrude became an abbess. Gertrude moved the monastery to a new place called Helfta. Mechtilde followed her there. As a nun, Mechtilde was known for being humble, enthusiastic, and kind. She became the headmistress of the convent school. She also helped in the library and wrote her own texts in Latin.
In 1261, a five-year-old girl named Gertrude the Great was placed in Mechtilde's care. Gertrude the Great later became a very famous saint herself.
Musical Talents and Spiritual Gifts
Mechtilde was famous for her musical gifts and beautiful voice. People even called her the "Nightingale of Helfta." She said that Christ himself called her his "nightingale" in her visions. She was in charge of the sacred music in her convent until she died. She also trained the choir.
Even though she suffered from physical pain, she never stopped praising God through music. Many people, including learned scholars, came to her for spiritual advice.
Her Visions and Special Prayers
Mechtilde had many special visions, which are like spiritual experiences where she felt very close to God. In these visions, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and angels seemed very real to her. She especially loved angels, seeing them as friends to people on Earth and in Heaven.
The Three Hail Marys Prayer
Mechtilde was worried about her soul and prayed to the Virgin Mary for help when she died. Mary appeared to her and promised to help. But Mary also asked Mechtilde to say three Hail Marys every day.
Mary explained that the first Hail Mary should remember God the Father's great power. The second should remember God the Son's wisdom. And the third should remember the love of the Holy Spirit. This prayer helped Mechtilde understand how the three Hail Marys honor the Holy Trinity (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Both Mechtilde and Gertrude the Great became very devoted to Jesus' heart. This was because they had many visions about it. They felt that hearing God's heartbeat was very important. Mechtilde and Gertrude saw Jesus' heart like a mother's breast. They believed the blood of Jesus in the Eucharist (a holy meal) was as nourishing as a mother's milk.
In one vision, Mechtilde said Jesus told her: "In the morning, your first act should be to greet My Heart and offer Me your own." He also said that anyone who sighs towards Him draws Him closer.
Mechtilde reported that Jesus appeared to her and asked her to love Him deeply. He also asked her to honor His Sacred Heart in the Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist). Jesus gave her His Sacred Heart as a sign of His love. He said it would be a safe place for her during her life and comfort her when she died. Mechtilde received many blessings through this devotion. She said a large book would not be enough to write down all the good things she received from it.
In another vision, Jesus told her to read the Gospel. He showed her the wound in His heart and said: "See how great My Love is. If you want to know it well, you will not find it clearer anywhere than in the Gospel." Her visions were later written down in a book called The Book of Special Grace.
The Book of Special Grace
When Mechtilde was about 50 years old, she went through a difficult time. She was also physically ill. She found out that two nuns she trusted had written down her special spiritual experiences. This worried her a lot.
Mechtilde prayed about it. She then had a vision of Christ holding the book of her revelations. He told her: "All this has been written down by My Will and Inspiration. So, you have no reason to be troubled about it." He also said He wanted the book to be called The Book of Special Grace (Liber specialis gratiae). He believed it would help many people. When Mechtilde understood that the book would bring glory to God, she stopped worrying. She even helped correct the manuscript herself.
After her death, the book was shared widely. Many copies were made, especially by the Friars Preachers (a religious order). Giovanni Boccaccio, a famous Italian writer, wrote that a few years after Mechtilde died, her book came to Florence, Italy. It became very popular there. People in Florence would often repeat praises they learned from Mechtilde's book before their holy images.
Mechtilde died in the Helfta monastery on November 19, 1298. Her feast day is celebrated on this date. Her body, along with Gertrude's, is likely still buried at Old Helfta, but the exact spot is not known.
Legacy
There is a beautiful wooden statue of Mechtilde of Hackeborn in a chapel at the Benedictine Abbey church in Tyniec, Poland. She is shown wearing a nun's habit and a cross, which means she was an abbess.
The Sisters of St. Benedict's in Ferdinand, Indiana, have a "Mechtilde of Hackeborn Sacred Music Series." This series supports sacred music and honors her musical talents.
In 2022, The Episcopal Church added both Mechtilde and Gertrude to their calendar of saints. Their feast day is celebrated on November 21.
In Spanish: Matilde de Hackeborn para niños
See also
- Gertrude of Hackeborn
- Gertrude the Great
- Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn, patron saint archive
